42D BO eee
1704-10330-10102 494.2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS ACT OF 1992 |

SECRET
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20505

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Honorable John Raymond Tunheim
Chairman °
Assassination Records
# Review Board
600 E. Street N.W.
Washington, D.C.

Dear Judge Tunheim:

(C) I have just received informal word of the
decisions the JFK Board made at its 17 November 1997
meeting. Most of the Board's decisions--those relating to
the CIA presence din Warrenton? CIA’s involvement.in various
non-governmental organizations, and the details of CIA
funding of the Cuban Revolutionary Council--are very
welcome... I must, however, urge the Board to reconsider its
decision to release décuments_in.a form that would reveal

‘the Agency’ ‘Ss use of State Department cover J

(C) We stand behind the position that we have
presented in writing and in discussions with the Board on
previous occasions. I would welcome an opportunity to have
a senior CIA representative meet with the Board at your
convenience to explain why the Agency considers this
information so sensitive and to answer any questions you may
have. Meanwhile, I offer the following summary of our
fundamental concerns.

(S) Effective official cover is necessary to enable 7
< our” officers to work overseas in often hostile and volatile’
environments. | Official cover also enables the Agency ‘to 4
« conduct its business with allied liaison services in :
“countries where host governments would find it politically
\ unacceptable to acknowledge a cooperative relationship with,’
the Central Intelligence Agency. In all such settings, f

“State Department cover is critically important because its

cuse affords our officers the rights and privileges set forth

‘.in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic and Consular oe
‘Immunity~-~diplomatic immunity, in particular. Indeed, the >
effectiveness of the Agency's use of State Department cover »

7

CL BY: \" 2217297
CL REASON: 1.5 (c)
DECL ON: XL

DRV FROM: COV 2-87

SECRET


13- 0008. Fe. A990 12: S2PM |

NO. 226 en, .P»3.,

e ates ie

Judge Tunheim

clearly illustrates the purpose ‘behind the Director's - ;
’ statutory obligation to protect intelligence methods from, f
unnecessary and inappropriate disclosure. a . ae

= (S} No “other cover mechanism Gan provide our. officers

the™ opérational utility and personal security that ‘State
(Department cover does. Achieving effective -cover,requires >
_ that our officers be fully iritegratéd into ‘State’ ‘Department ~/
b entities, - offices, and functions. our officers are"

““youtinely -assigned State Department duties to make. it. ‘harder ;
for hostile services and others who might. try to: ‘ hatm ox .

- expose our ‘officers to identify them.as Agency emp1é Byes. TY
Official acknowledgment of even the fact of Agency. fuige of ,
(State Department cover would increase dramatically: ‘the risks
{that both Agency officers and our State Department / © -
‘ colleagues encounter’ in serving us interests around the.
“world. -~ Ltd

2

(S) (State 1 Department cover ‘continues to. be. san .
important intelligende ‘method, “Its use is undiminished
Since the 1960s, and it will remain essential for: ‘the .
foreseeable future. I urge the Board to_: reconsider - its -
recent decision insofar as it concerns the Agency’ gs use of)

State Department. cover }. In this regard,. we willbe ~

s forwarding: a more comprehensive memorandum’ addréssing the
damage issue prior to the next Board meeting, and we would
also like to offer the Board the opportunity. for-a personal
appearance by a senior CIA representative should that be’

appropriate.
Sincerely,:. .
4 :
_ David W. Carey YJ. * 5%
2
ge ;

- SECRET " rs


